1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to a picture image forming system and a stapling method for use therein.
2. Related Background Art
Some picture image forming systems are provided with a stapler for binding a bundle of copied sheet materials. Usually, such a picture image forming system with a stapler can select a stapling position of a bundle of copied sheet materials. As such a selecting means of a conventional typical picture image forming system, the picture images of a plurality of sheet materials of different types, together with their stapling positions, have been displayed on a single screen so that an operating part can select a desired one from the displayed types of sheet materials. FIG. 9 shows an example of an operating part of a conventional picture image forming system. In this example, the picture images of five kinds of sheet materials are simultaneously displayed on a display screen of the operating part, and a desired one is selected from the displayed picture images of the sheet materials to determine a stapling position.
However, in such a conventional picture image forming system, the display of the operating part is small and illegible (see FIG. 9), often leading to the selection of an erroneous stapling position.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to eliminate the aforementioned problems and to provide a picture image forming system capable of preventing an erroneous stapling position from being selected, and a stapling method for use therein.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned and other objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a picture image forming system comprises: a picture image forming system body for forming a picture image on the basis of an inputted picture signal and for reading image data including the orientation and size of an original to be copied, using a picture image reader; an operating part for displaying a picture image of only one type of original so as to include a vertical or horizontal orientation and for displaying a plurality of selectable stapling positions on the picture image of only one type of original in layers, the operating part reading one or more stapling positions selected from the plurality of selectable stapling positions; and stapler for binding a plurality of copied sheets on the basis of information about the selected stapling positions.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stapling method for use in a picture image forming system, the stapling method comprising: a first step of reading image data including the orientation and size from an original to be copied, using an image reader of a picture image forming system; a second step of displaying a picture image of only one type of original so as to include a vertical or horizontal orientation and of displaying a plurality of selectable stapling positions on the picture image of only one type of original in layers; and a third step of stapling a plurality of copied sheets using a stapler on the basis of information about a selected stapling position.